Can't Let Go
by justanoutlaw
Summary: Regina has made her choice, she knows the man she loves: the father of her child.


**An alternate take on who Emma brought back in the 3B finale and who Regina's LI was that season.**

Regina stood by the window, watching his old Corvette pulled into the driveway. Henry hopped out of the passenger seat, darting straight for the door with a smile on his face. Neal followed behind, a forced one on his own. The same that he always got whenever he showed up at the house.

She remembered his old smile, his real smile. The one he gave her the first day they met when Emma dragged him back from New York City. The one that he shared with her to give her courage when they were in Neverland. The one she woke up to every single morning in the Enchanted Forest, letting her know that someday, somehow, they'd be reunited with their boy again.

Then Emma had gone back in time and returned…with Daniel.

Neal had removed himself from the situation right away. It was as if all the progress they had made together had been undone, he was back to being just another co-parent, figuring out time with Henry. He hadn't bothered talking to her or even hearing her side of things.

He didn't know that Daniel wasn't living with her anymore, that they had ended things for good a week ago.

She loved Daniel and before she met Neal, she would've wanted nothing more than to bring him back to life. Things just weren't the same, too much time had passed. She wasn't the same girl he had fallen in love with. The goodness in her heart had been erased and filled with hate for so long. While the hate was long gone (for others, not so much herself), it had still changed her. Daniel understood, he felt it too.

They loved each other, but it wasn't true love. No, that was something she shared with two people: Henry and Neal.

Henry opened the door and grinned at his mother. "Hey Mom!" He threw his arms around her and she hugged him tighter.

"Hey sweetheart. Did you have a fun weekend with your dad?"

"Yeah, we went to the beach and the arcade." He gave his dad a quick hug. "Bye Dad, see you later."

"Bye bud." Neal kissed the top of his head. "Love you."

He speeded up the stairs in record time, leaving the two of them alone. Neal awkwardly stood there a minute, Henry's backpack in his hand. He slowly extended it, her fingertips brushing against the fabric.

"Where are you living?" She asked, quietly.

"Papa's. He set up a room for me once I came to town."

"Right." She sucked back the air into her nose. "I miss you, Neal."

His lips formed a firm line. "What do you want me to say to that?"

"I just want you to listen! You haven't since Emma brought Daniel back!"

"What do you want me to say, Regina?" He threw his hands in the air, causing the backpack to drop to the floor. "That it hurts? That I thought we were finally going to be a family and then he came back?" He shook his head. "I can't do this, I can't stand here and make small talk with you. I'm trying to move on and you have all the more reason to!"

"I can't move on from something that wasn't supposed to end!"

"Well, maybe it wasn't supposed to but it is!"

"It doesn't have to be!"

"How do you figure that?"

"Daniel's gone," she whispered. "He got a job at the stables and his own apartment, Snow and David are renting him their old loft."

"You…you're taking a break?"

She shook her head. "We broke up. The truth is, three decades have passed. I loved him, heck, I always will love him…but we're not in love. I couldn't stand to be with him, when the man I want is right in town."

Neal tilted his head. "The man you want?"

Regina stepped forward, taking hold of his hoodie sweatshirt, looking up into his beautiful eyes.

"You may be a thief, but I know you're not stupid."

Her lips collided with his own, tightening her grip on him. He was caught off guard for a minute, but in time began to deep it. Soon, his own arms were wrapped tightly around her. Their bodies tangled up together, they headed down the hall and into one of the guest bedrooms. Their clothes were discarded in a messy heap on the floor. Neal took in Regina, wearing her revealing yet tasteful lingerie.

"Were you planning on this?"

"Let's just say I was hopeful," she whispered as he unhooked her bra, sliding down her panties.

"God I missed you."

"I missed you more."

"Not possible."

He pulled her down on top of him, kissing her once again. Normally there was foreplay, there was making sure that the door was locked so there were no intruders. However, it had been a month and they had missed each other like crazy. Their bodies worked together just like they used to, sweat drenched their forehead as they felt the heat gather up between them. Once she orgasmed, she collapsed on top of his chest.

"I love you, Baelfire."

"It's Neal," he panted with a smirk. She rolled her eyes and smacked his chest. "I love you too, Regina."


End file.
